By AbdulRaheem Aodu
Kaduna
Ginger farmers based in Kaduna state yesterday lamented that they are selling their produce at a loss, while urging Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i to intervene in establishing marketing board that would enable them enjoy proper pricing and provide them with modern farm inputs.
The ginger farmers, numbering over 30, 000, said if they were able to overcome their seasonal loss and had access to modern farm inputs like improved seedlings, fertiliser and pesticides, they were capable of employing thousands of unemployed graduate youths “because the intervention would make the production quite lucrative and of high demand in international markets.”
Addressing reporters yesterday in Kaduna, President of Macedonia Ginger Value Chain (MAGVAC), Nuhu Daudu, commended the state government on the steps it had so far taken at diversifying its economy to agriculture with inclusion of ginger in its valued crops.
He said if government regulated its price to enable it to attract more people in the value chain – production, processing and marketing, ginger production had the capacity to transform economic woes of the state to enviable financial standing among other states of the federation.
“Ginger is a special crop to grow and that is why we are not many in it. It is a lucrative business and highly demanding, but we don’t have good market yet because there is no price regulation by state government. Indians are the only people coming to pack our ginger at take away price, reprocess and repackage and then make a good foreign exchange with it.
“Ginger is used in medicine, brewery and all that and that is why the government needs to come in considering the revenue it can generate. With over 20 years of experience, there is no better time for the state government to bring its expertise to fore in collaboration with other stakeholders.
“We can do more with the state government by collaborating in reviving the ginger factory at Kachia, thereby providing jobs opportunities for our teeming youths. In Kaduna, we produce 500,000 metric tons of ginger annually. If the farming process is followed, one hectare of land can produce 400 bags of fresh 50kg of ginger. We can even do more when government is fully involved.
“It is on record that ginger produced in Kaduna state has been rated best in the world market, however poor pricing due to our collective neglects in our production and processing methods are denying us full remuneration.”
